Complication (Flu Season)
by XCountrySkiier03
Summary: Hikaru's sick, and Kaoru's worried. It was just the flu, right? A medical drama staring the Hitachiin twins!
1. Chapter 1

**Complication**

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It was just the flu.

In fact, he'd had the same flu only a week earlier, and had probably been the one to give the damn virus to his twin in the first place. The two tended to share everything with one another so naturally, illnesses were no exception. Yeah, it had been miserable when he'd been sick. He'd missed some school, hacked his brains out, and slept like a rock, but he'd recovered 4 days later, no worse for wear. So if this was just that same virus, then why was Hikaru not getting better? It had been nearly a week for goodness sake.

Kaoru shifted uneasily under the covers, unable to sleep not only because of his brother's incessant cough, but also from his own mounting concern.

"Hikaru?" Kaoru finally said, opening his eyes to view their partially illuminated room. The digital clock read 4:30 am and neither of them had slept a wink. Their white bedsheets glowed blue in the moonlight. The younger twin extended an arm to rub circles on Hikaru's back, unsettled by the way each cough was pronounced by a labored inhale. "Are you okay?"

Hikaru rolled onto his back in response, cupping an elbow over his mouth in a reflexive attempt to be polite, not that it really made a difference. Between Kaoru's sickness last week, and Hikaru's this week, their room was probably a glorified petri dish. Even the maids wouldn't enter through their doorway without cautionary masks and gloves.

"I can't stop coughing," Hikaru moaned. He gave another few barking coughs and consented to scooting up in bed, leaning his back against the cool headboard. Kaoru also sat up, pulling his knees into his chest and using them as a chin rest.

Hikaru huffed and glanced at his brother briefly before mirroring his twin's position. "My chest hurts," Hikaru said pitifully, setting his cheek atop his knees.

Kaoru frowned and placed a hand beneath Hikaru's bangs, like their mother used to do when they were little. He pursed his lips at the heat beneath his fingers. "You still feel like you have a fever, and this is the sixth day you've been sick. Didn't the doctor say you'd be better by now?"

"I don't know, I can't remember what he said." Hikaru coughed a few more times. "I feel like I've been hit by a bus,"

Kaoru sighed and let his hand fall away. "I guess this means you won't be coming to school again today,"

Hikaru threw a dirty glance at his twin, though it didn't hold much malice. Hikaru didn't have the energy for that kind of chagrin. "You ditched me last week,"

"Only for a couple of days. You've almost been out for the entire week," Koaru bit down on his lower lip.

"I'm not playing hookey for kicks, Kaoru," Hikaru said, breaking off into another fit of coughs. He abandoned the curled position and folded his legs criss cross style, bending forward into a sort of tripod position.

"I know, I know," Kaoru said, observing the way his brother's hands clenched and unclenched atop his pale knees. He was clearly miserable. Kaoru couldn't stop the empathy from eating at his stomach. It was making him slightly nauseous. "I'm just starting to get worried, you know? You seem like you're getting worse,"

Hikaru was breathing hard, as if he'd just run a sprint. It sounded downright unhealthy, considering he was just sitting in bed. Kaoru moved to rest a hand on his brother's shoulder, kneading it gently.

"I do feel worse," Hikaru admitted. "I thought I was getting better a few days ago but then, I dunno, I just _didn't_. And now I feel like- like I was hit by a bus," The older twin finished lamely, recycling the analogy he'd already used. His usually sharp mind was muddled and unable to piece together a second decent metaphor. He fidgeted restlessly, balling the sheets in his fists then setting those free to rake a trembling hand through his hair.

Kaoru frowned, noting how noticeably uncomfortable Hikaru appeared in his own skin. "You look really sick, Hikaru. You're scaring me,"

Hikaru looked like he wanted to respond, but instead tumbled into another spasm of coughs that did nothing to ease Kaoru's mind.

"I think we should do something," Kaoru's vision had adjusted to the dark. He could see the way Hikaru's chest seemed to haul each breath. Surely that was not normal. Kaoru liked to think he was a practical person, but sometimes following an instinct was just as important. It didn't matter that this was "just" the flu. Something simply wasn't right.

"What do you mean?" Hikaru asked, again shifting his position in an unsuccessful attempt to get comfortable. His breaths remained loud and coarse. Kaoru's stomach churned in discontent. His gut screamed even louder: something is _not_ okay.

"Should we call the doctor?" Kaoru offered. His lower lip was becoming quickly abused as it was rolled between his incisors.

"I dunno," Hikaru said, shrugging his shoulder's and closing his eyes in apparent thought. As a few moments passed, the older twin began rocking slightly back and forth, his brow furrowing progressively. "Kao-" Hikaru mewled. "Maybe you're right and there is something wrong," He rested a hand on his chest. "This feels bad,"

Kaoru didn't like the way Hikaru panted around each sentence. The younger twin found Hikaru's restless hand and grasped it tight, holding it still. "If there's something really wrong Hikaru, maybe we should go strait to the hospital," Kaoru said, his whole body tense. His heart beat quickened beneath his ribs as Hikaru nodded slightly.

"Yes?" Kaoru asked, his stomach rising into his throat.

"Yea," Hikaru nodded more earnestly this time. His face was pinched with discomfort, and there were tears forming at the corners of his eyes. "Kao-," The older twin suddenly sobbed, curling forward into himself. A few earnest tears streaked down his face in ruddy trails. "I feel like I can't breath. I can't-" Hikaru couldn't finish the sentence as another coughing fit consumed his words. He ripped his hand free from Kaoru's to cover his mouth, while the other hand twined desperately through the front of his T-shirt.

"Hikaru!" Kaoru placed his palm on his brother's back instead and tried to ignore the unavoidable hurt he felt from Hikaru pulling away. He knew it wasn't personal, and only demonstrated the extent of Hikaru's distress.

Unable to do anything to stop Hikaru's fit, Kaoru sat by, helpless and afraid. The violent episode continued on until Hikaru began gagging, more tears streaming down his cheeks. Kaoru's heart hammered in his chest with mounting anxiety.

"That's it, I'm calling an ambulance!" The younger twin decided, finally letting his gut take control. He practically leapt from the bed to reach their side table where his cell phone sat charging. The cord was yanked form the wall as Kaoru over estimated the force needed to pull it free.

Hikaru didn't protest the decision, but then again, he didn't seem able to answer one way or another.

By the time Kaoru had the emergency number dialed and ringing, Hikaru had managed to stop cough-gagging, but he still struggled through choked heaving breaths, each followed by a horrible high pitched stride. Kaoru could barely tune the terrible noise out as the dispatcher answered.

" _Dispatching services, what is your emergency?"_ Said the even keeled voice of the male telecommunicator.

"I need an ambulance sent to my house right away! My brother's sick, he can't breath!" Kaoru blurted.

" _And what is your location?"_ The voice asked calmly. Kaoru rattled off his address and hastily answered the few yes/no questions the dispatcher asked. He briefly reviewed his brother's situation: how he had the flu, with a cough, and a fever, and goddamnit, _yes,_ he had been previously healthy.

"He's 16, he's never been this sick!" Kaoru's voice had risen an octave since the start of the phone conversation.

" _I understand, sir. An ambulance is on its way. Give 5-7 minutes for arrival,"_

"T-thank you," Kaoru stammered. The dispatcher offered to stay on the line but the younger twin couldn't hang up fast enough. Before crawling back to Hikaru's side, he flicked on their bedside lamp. The lighting served to reveal Hikaru's pallor, and made visible the sickly bluish hue of his lips. Seeing his brother's illuminated state, Kaoru knew he had made the right decision. Hikaru looked like death.

"Did you hear that Hikaru? Just 5 minutes! We're going to get you help," Koaru unraveled one of Hikaru's fists from their bedding and grasped it firmly. His twin's eyes were screwed shut, breaths coming too fast and shallow. With each strangled inhale the tendons on Hikaru's neck stood prominent and deep craters formed in the hallow of his clavicles.

"Hikaru!" Kaoru squeezed the trembling hand between his fingers too hard, trying anything to gain his brother's attention, "Hikaru, look at me!" He knew his brother was in a bad way regardless, but Hikaru's anxiety was only adding coal to the fire.

"You have to calm down! Come on, try to take a deep breath, you can do this," Kaoru was mere inches from a meltdown himself, he had no idea how he was keeping his head clear enough to be of any help.

Hikaru finally did look up. His fearful amber eyes were framed by furrowed brows and purple bags, rimmed red and wet with tears.

"That's it," Koaru's voice only shook a little, "If you relax, it might get easier. Just breath, in and out," He tried to make his voice imitate the one he'd spoken with on the phone. It worked to some extent. Hikaru appeared to try and follow his directions, slowly adopting a calmer rhythm.

"Kao-" Hikaru started.

"Shh, don't try to talk," Kaoru interrupted. "Just breath. Breathing's important,"

Hikaru nodded mutely, clamping his eyes shut once more, and throwing all his effort into drawing air through his open mouth. Unfortunately, it didn't take long for Hikaru to appear just as panicked as before. His lips were becoming more blue by the minute.

If Kaoru's heart could beat any faster, he was sure it would burst right through his ribs. Kaoru was terrified. Probably the most scared he had ever been. A looming wave of impending doom consumed his senses as he watched his mirror image struggle for air.

"It's going to be okay, everything is going to be okay," Kaoru said in a thready voice, keeping Hikaru's hand in his like a vice. Hot tears were starting to form in the corners of his eyes, but somehow they didn't fall. He was probably too far in shock for his emotions to react properly. He had no idea what in the hell was even happening to his brother. It had all spiraled so fast. How could Hikaru go form regular-sick, to crisis-sick so quickly? It made no sense!

"You're going to be alright. You're going to be fine," Kaoru's tone was even less convincing. What if Hikaru wasn't fine? He could clearly see his brother starving for air, and if anything, his breaths were becoming steadily worse. The minutes were passing like glaciers.

"You'll be okay, Hikaru. You _have_ to be okay," Kaoru's voice was beginning to break. If help didn't arrive soon he didn't know what he would do. How long could Hikaru go without air? What if he got worse? What if he stopped breathing all together? What if he-

The sound of slamming car doors interrupted his thoughts from wandering too far. He could hear the on site house staff beginning to rouse at the commotion in the courtyard.

There was a knock on their bedroom door and a middle aged housemaid popped her head into view. "Mr. Hitachiin," That's what all the house staff called them. It wasn't incorrect, and saved the inevitable mix up between either twin. "There's an ambulance in the courtyard and paramedics trying to enter the property, what is the meaning-" She paused when she caught a glimpse of the twins' state. Her face visibly paled.

"I'll send them up right away, you boys just hang on,"

It wasn't another minute before 3 EMS workers hurried into their bedroom, stretcher in tow, undoubtedly guided there by their numerous staff. They wore dark navy uniforms with walkie-talkies velcroed to their shoulders and too many pockets to count.

"Sir, I'm going to need you to step aside," It took Kaoru a moment to realize the youngest responder was speaking to him. He suddenly felt extremely out of place. With shaky legs he crawled off the bed, reluctantly unlacing his finger's from Hikaru's. As soon as he was out of the way, two of the workers swarmed his brother like wolves.

The third responder, a tall man with silver streaked hair and a pair of reading glasses atop his head, approached the younger Hitachiin. He stuck a lanky hand out in greeting, "Hello there, my name's Ichiro, I'm a senior paramedic," Kaoru looked at the man like a deer in headlights, struck by his normalcy. He hesitantly shook the offered hand.

"What's your name, son?" The paramedic prompted. Kaoru could barely remember his words.

"Kaoru,"

"And what's your brother's name?" Ichiro didn't need to guess their relationship. Just like the rest of the world, their identical appearance never went unnoticed, even at first glance.

"I-it's Hikaru," He stuttered. The man had kind but diligent eyes. He gave Kaoru a nod and turned to the older twin, joining his teammates' frenzy.

"Hikaru, my name is Ichiro. We're going to bring you to the hospital,"

Kaoru bit the back of his knuckles, watching the whole happening. The other two emergency personal, a second man and a women, had already placed a clear oxygen mask over Hikaru's face and wrapped a blood pressure cuff round his upper arm. The older twin looked in a daze. His eyes appeared blank and he only moaned in response to Ichiro's words. His breaths were no longer as loud as before, but Kaoru wasn't sure that was a good thing.

"We're going to get you onto the stretcher, okay?" Again, Hikaru made little effort to respond. His eyes were only half open and hazy. The three responders briefly exchanged ideas on how to move the older Hitachiin, who was clearly not fit to stand. Ichiro ultimately expedited the process and grasped Hikaru bridal style, hoisting him right off the bed.

Hikaru did perk at this, crying out in surprise. This made Kaoru's heart twist. His knees were quaking beneath his weight. He wasn't really sure how he was standing at all.

"It's okay," The lady EMT said to Hikaru once he was safely settled onto the stretcher, which was propped upright to form a backing like a chair. She made sure the oxygen mask was securely over his nose and mouth before beginning to strap him down, clipping seat belt-like restraints over his torso, "We're just going to take you for a ride and get you some help. Look your brother is right over there, see?"

Kaoru jumped at the woman's words. Hikaru did settle dazed eyes on him. They looked confused and scared and full of pain. Kaoru had to grasp the night stand for support as his knees threatened to buckle.

"We have room for one to ride in the ambulance. Do you kids have any parents that are going to accompany him?" The third, youthful, but burly paramedic asked. The realization that their parents were out of town on a business trip dawned on Kaoru. He suddenly felt even more scared and alone.

To Kaoru's surprise, Hikaru began weakly fighting against the straps holding him, pushing aside the hands of the female EMT. It was almost impossible to make out the sentence Hikaru was trying to relay around his coughing and gasping, but Kaoru understood the message loud and clear. _Kaoru, don't leave me!_

"I won't!" Kaoru said desperately, hoping to calm his brother's actions. He turned quickly to Ichiro, "I-I'll go with him! Our parents aren't here,"

This proclamation calmed the older twin, though the futile struggle left him even worse off. The workers promptly moved to finish securing him down, and stickered his chest with monitor pads which hooked to a wired machine at the head of the stretcher. It promptly lit with information, tracking Hikaru's vital signs in real time.

"Well get ready to leave, then. We're taking off as soon as your brother is loaded," The young responder said curtly.

Kaoru nodded and hastily grabbed a pair of jeans. He didn't bother to change from his sleeping top. It was just a white T-shirt like Hikaru's. Not indecent, just simple. It didn't take him long to change, but even with the hurried effort, he still had to race down their grand staircase to catch the departing stretcher.

The early morning sun light was beginning to stain the tree line orange. It was a brisk fall morning and the air chilled Kaoru's exposed arms as he excited their estate. He didn't notice much, of course. He was far too focused on Hikaru.

A nervous group of staff followed the EMT's in somewhat of a procession, helping when they could, opening doors and moving area rugs out of the way. One well meaning women even shoved a sweatshirt into Kaoru's arms to take with him.

He tried to nod in thanks, but he was pretty sure he looked more like a twitchy rabbit. She smiled sadly at him in sympathy, which only made Kaoru feel even worse about the entire situation. He didn't have time to dwell on this, however. He was hurriedly helped into the ambulance and directed to sit on a shelf like plastic folding chair attached to the back wall.

He felt so far from his brother, even though he could reach out and grab Hikaru's foot if he tried. The older twin's eyes had fallen shut and his body had gone slack aside from the effortful rise and fall of his chest.

 _Hikaru, please be okay,_ Kaoru thought as the Ambulance doors were slammed shut and latched closed.

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I've been writing this mostly just for myself, but I figured I'd share it, cause why not!? Probably going to be a 3-4 shot. Next chapter will be soon to follow. R+R! :)


	2. Chapter 2

Hope this is entertaining to those who are following! Thank you Lyra Anna Ly for the lovely review! :)

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Complication (Flu Season) Chapter 2

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"We're strapped. Hit the gas, Cho," Ichiro said. The female EMT had taken the driver's seat while Ichiro and the second man had remained in the cabin of the truck. Kaoru felt like a fly on the while, watching the medical professionals work on his brother. The muscular EMT didn't stop at one IV, but rather stuck two separate access points, one in each of Hikaru's arms. The older twin didn't flinch on their insertion, seemingly too drowsy to care. The blue color in his lips had spread to his cheeks and the hallows of his eyes. The machine he'd been hooked to beeped angrily, firing warning alarms as his vital signs drifted further from normal.

"This is Ichiro paging triage," The oldest of the three said into his walkie talkie, simultaneously fiddling with a bulkier face mask that formed a tighter seal over Hikaru's face.

 _"We copy"_ A staticky voice replied.

"I'm transporting a 16 year old male in acute respiratory distress, en route to arrive in 8 minutes. We're establishing IV access and preparing to place an airway, but he's in critical condition. I need a rapid response team gathered, and ready to go on arrival. Please have a crash cart ready in the receiving bay,"

" _We're on it,"_

The other EMT had hooked one of Hikaru's IV's to a bag of clear liquid, and was now pushing several different medications through the second open access in the crook of his right elbow.

"Alright Lee, tell me what I've got," Ichiro said in a factual tone, while turning the nob of the oxygen machine to maximum capacity.

"Starting doses of Lidocaine and Fentanyl are on board, sir,"

"Good, good. Thank you, Lee," Ichiro said calmly. He leaned over Hikaru and placed a hand on his forehead. "Hikaru, can you hear me?" Ichiro asked. Hikaru only grimaced briefly in response, even when the senior paramedic thumbed his eye lids open and shined a light at his pupils. Hikaru's chest was barely moving any longer.

Kaoru wanted to scream, cry, and vomit all at once, so he settled for watching quietly, face blank with little evidence to the torrent of emotions below. A reasonable alternative.

"He's not maintaining oxygen saturation. He's at 75% on 15 liters," Lee said tersely, looking for a reaction from his senior teammate.

"That's not good. We're running out of wait time here, aren't we?" Ichiro said rhetorically. He turned to face the observing twin. His blue eyes locked with Kaoru's amber ones.

"Listen Kaoru, we're going to be placing a tube into your brother's windpipe, okay? We gave him some medicine so it won't hurt as much, but we don't have time to let it to fully take effect. It might still be a little uncomfortable for him, but he needs help breathing right away, "

Kaoru nodded, dumbfounded and scared. His palms were clammy and trembling.

"It's okay to look away, kid. We don't want you passing out," Lee said bluntly.

Ichiro shook his head, and tsked his partner, "Are you always this compassionate?"

"What? I'm just warning him!" Lee said defensively. Despite the banter, neither one of them paused in their work. The expanse of tools Ichiro was laying out for the procedure looked more like torture devices than medical equipment.

"I'm all set up, Lee, let's get him in position," They lowered the stretcher until it lay flat, then Lee gently tipped Hikaru's head back, elongating the pale column of his neck. They unstrapped the mask over his nose and mouth until Lee was the only thing holding it in place. Ichiro gloved his hands and nodded in confirmation. "I'm ready when you are,"

Kaoru couldn't bring himself to look away as Lee had suggested. He watched the two workers pry Hikaru's jaw apart and roughly insert a long metal scope deeply into his throat.

Just as Ichiro had surmised, Hikaru bucked in response to the invasive maneuver. His hands clumsily reached up towards the object being forced into his mouth.

"Hikaru!" Kaoru said, unable to contain himself. If he hadn't had a flimsy seatbelt tied over his waist, he would have leapt to his feet. Watching Hikaru's pain was like experiencing it himself.

Lee was quick to diffuse the situation, grasping the older twin's hands and successfully restraining them. He leaned his body weight into Hikaru's torso until the weak fidgeting was barely of any bother to Ichiro, who had not been fazed by the fight to begin with.

"I've got a visual of the epiglottis...and there's the larynx," Ichiro said as he probed deeper into Hikaru's throat. He hastily grabbed the other tools he'd laid out, knocking a few others onto the floor in the process as Hikaru gave another decent attempt to dislodge the metal spatula from his esophagus. "Placing the endotracheal tube now,"

"Oxygen saturation is 65%," Lee said, though by the way the monitoring machine blared with rage, he was only stating the obvious.

"Have the ventilation bag attached to oxygen and ready to go," Ichiro inserted the artificial airway along the tract of the metal guide. Kaoru watched the long plastic tube disappear down his brother's throat. He could feel the blood rush from his face in response to the unnatural site. He quickly directed his eyes away, as he realized the edges of his vision were beginning to blacken. He did not want to prove Lee right. He was not going to faint. The creeping darkness gradually faded as he fought the intense wave. He was left with a very unsettled stomach and sweat beading at his hairline.

"It's secure," Ishiro said, fiddling with a few more things before carefully retracting the brutal looking metal device from Hikaru's throat. Lee grabbed the long tail of the artificial airway and hooked it to a plastic balloon. He squeezed it until it deflated fully, and as it did, Hikaru's chest rose with a full breath, expanded by air and much needed oxygen. Unfortunately, Hikaru still seemed too aware. He continued to make blind grabs at the intrusive tubing.

"I'll take over, Lee. You give him another 3mcg of Fentanyl," Ichiro took charge of making Hikaru's chest move up and down as Lee drew and injected the clear medication into Hikaru's vein. The reaction was slow, but progressive. Hikaru's struggles gradually subsided as the minutes passed.

"Much better," Ichiro smiled at his partner. He then glanced over to Kaoru, who was pale and silent. "You doing okay, brother?" Ichiro asked, peeking over the glasses balanced on the bridge of his nose.

Koaru didn't respond immediately. He surveyed the way Hikaru's chest continued to rise and fall with each dose of air. The machine at the back of the stretcher still blinked red and orange, but it seemed less upset than before.

"What's going to happen next?" Kaoru asked in a small voice. "Is he going to be okay?"

Lee remained quiet, preferring to fiddle with the IV pump running fluids than look Kaoru in the eye. Ichiro sighed, and nodded.

"That's a hard question, Kaoru. I've called the hospital and let them know we are on our way and I expect he'll be taken directly to the intensive care unit, but I can't predict the future. I don't know if your brother is going to be okay. What I do know, is that you did the right thing to call us. Hikaru's got a much better chance of making it through this because of your quick actions."

Kaoru didn't like what Ichiro had to say. Why wasn't he telling him that, _yes_ , of course Hikaru would be okay, and what a silly question to even ask.

"Your brother is very sick, Kaoru, but he will be in good hands. They'll do everything possible to help," Ichiro said, very observant of the devastated expression the younger twin could not hide.

"We're almost there, boys," Cho said from the front compartment of the vehicle. Kaoru could feel the sway of the ambulance as it turned into the hospital entrance. Through the tiny glass porthole windows, Kaoru could make out the tall structures of the hospital plaza.

The towers of the buildings were checkered with illuminated windows, still twinkling in contrast to the fading night. The sun's rays had still not crested the horizon, but the sky was starting to glow a vibrant pink from the approaching daylight. Kaoru vaguely made the connection that this would be one of Kyoya's family's medical facilities. Kyoya's father owned most of the hospitals in the area, aside from the few private community based buildings.

The ambulance finally came to a stop as it rolled into the emergency medical bay. Cho leapt from the drivers seat and circled round to open the back doors wide.

"We'll get the stretcher out first, and then you follow," Lee instructed.

The next 15 minutes were a blur to Kaoru. He was hurried out of the ambulance as Hikaru's stretcher was wheeled into the the hospital's emergency room, which they briskly bypassed in favor of the ICU.

Ichiro's communication with the triage team at the hospital had been well received. There were at least 6 staff waiting and ready to accept their patient. Kaoru tried to keep his eyes on his brother, but it was hard with all the medical personnel suddenly surrounding his figure.

The stretcher never stopped moving despite the flurry of staff. Every voice was either hurried, or clipped. All except Ichiro, who astoundingly remained just as Kaoru had met him: calm, and pragmatic. He gave a sensible report to one of the physicians evidently taking charge of the case.

Like a lost puppy, Kaoru followed loyally and thanked the gods he hadn't been sent to wait in some crowded lobby. He remained quiet, afraid that if he spoke, someone would remember his presence and send him away. Kaoru wouldn't let that happen. He would stay with Hikaru, even if his brother wasn't awake to realize.

The team finally reached their destination: a pristine looking medical room with white walls, crisp sheets, and freshly pressed curtains. The younger twin filed in behind the hospital employees, sulking into the corner, out of site and mind. He watched the team pull Hikaru's limp body onto the hospital bed in one fluid motion. The older twin was almost unrecognizable, off color and dangling with too many tubes and wires. Despite the air being forced down his windpipe, he still looked blue. Even his hands and arms had adopted the sickly tinge.

"Kaoru," The younger twin nearly jumped when Ichiro approached him, a concerned look on his face. "It was good meeting you. I wish the best for you and your brother,"

Lee nodded awkwardly at him in regards, and Cho gave him the same sympathetic smile that his lady house maid had given him before he'd departed. He still clutched the rumpled sweat shirt she'd given him in his arms. He squeezed it like a teddy bear, feeling like a 6 year old, not a 16 year old.

Before Kaoru had a chance to properly respond, the EMS team departed, taking the empty stretcher with them. What was left behind, was a chaotic jumble of nurses, physicians, and health care aids buzzing around his brother's bed like bee's. The organized chaos was unnerving to watch.

"Let's initiate full sepsis protocol. I want labs drawn. Get a CBC with diff and send blood for culture. Get me a CMP, lactate, and ABG's, then lets get a Vancomycin, infusion running for suspected pneumonia,"

While the physician who had taken report from Ichiro rattled off these orders, a tall blonde woman, who Kaoru assumed was a second physician, directed the nursing staff in hooking Hikaru's breathing tube to a large automated contraption.

"I want a chest x-ray and a foley catheter placed," The tall dark haired doctor said, circling back to make sure he agreed with the ventilator settings that had been chosen.

"Yes Dr. Otori," One of the nurses said dutifully.

Kaoru's mind was a jumble, but the name of the doctor struck a chord of recognition. Did she just say Dr.-

"Excuse me sir," A slender nurse in blue scrubs addressed Kaoru, interrupting his thoughts. The younger twin froze, his heart nearly stopping from paralyzing fear. _They're going to kick me out._ But instead, she neatly side stepped him, and pulled the privacy curtain taught, blocking the entrance of the room so passers by would not gawk at the commotion.

She gave him an odd expression of acknowledgment. _I'm sorry to meet you under these circumstances,_ it seemed to convey.

"You are Hikaru's brother?" She asked, looking over his features. He could tell she was making the fast connection that Kaoru was not just her patient's brother, but rather his identical twin.

"I am, and I-I'm not leaving this room," Kaoru responded in a shaky voice. It didn't sound very confident, but he meant what he said. He was not going to be taken away from Hikaru, no matter what. Before his brother had lost all consciousness, he had pleaded for Koaru to stay by his side and _goddamnit_ that's what he would do. His fear was quickly deflated as the nurse gave him a knowing look.

"We won't ask you to leave," She said. That sad sympathetic smile stabbed his heart like a dagger. He wasn't sure how much more of this he could take.

"I need to ask you a few questions about your brother. Does he have any allergies or other chronic health conditions that we should know about?"

Dr. Otori's voice distracted Kaoru from the nurse in front of him. "His blood pressure is still dropping. I need a Levophed infusion stat. Start it running at 8mcg per minute," The nursing staff operated like a well oiled machine to carry out the orders, promptly sticking a third needle into Hikaru's arm so they could more easily initiate the multiple infusions.

"Sir-" She prompted gently, trying to draw Kaoru's attention back to her.

"No-no allergies, no health conditions. He was fine last night, I mean, he had the flu but he was okay. He wasn't like this," Kaoru said, moving a hand to cover his mouth as tears rose to the surface. His brother was literally dying in front of him. A wave of emotion suddenly crashed down onto the younger twin. He probably should have been more embarrassed to cry in front of a stranger, but he was losing his grasp on composure. He hugged his sweat shirt even closer to his chest as a few tears overflowed.

Suddenly, The machines monitoring Hikaru's vital signs and heart rhythm blared louder than before. Even Kaoru knew something had changed. "Dr. Otori, he's going into V-Tach," One nurse yelled.

"I'm not getting a pulse," a second nurse said, his fingers pressed deeply into the hollow of Hikaru's throat.

"Call a code blue! I need rapid response!" Dr. Otori's voice boomed over the calamity.

"I'm sorry, I have to help," The nurse in front of Kaoru turned on her heel and jumped into the mix. One of the other nurses had clambered partially onto the hospital bed and had begun CPR. The nurse he'd been speaking with used a pair of scissors to cut away Hikaru's T-shirt in one jagged sweep.

Kaoru's mind was reeling. _This is not happening, this is not real, this is a NIGHTMARE!_ It was like watching a medical TV drama play out before his eyes, only this wasn't fiction. This was his brother. His twin. His best friend.

A terrible looking electrical box was wheeled into the room.

"Charge the defibrillator to 200 Joules." Doctor Otori instructed. The nurse on top of Hikaru's chest was pushing down so forcefully, Kaoru could hear the sound of cracking ribs. The crunching and snapping nearly made Kaoru puke. Had his hand not already been over his mouth, he was sure he would have lost his stomach right then and there.

"Clear!" Dr. Otori said, to which his staff responded immediately. They all stepped away from the bed, creating what reminded Kaoru of a desperate prayer circle. Dr. Otori placed the paddles of the machine directly onto Hikaru's bare chest. With the electrical shock that followed, Hikaru's body seized, back arching off the bed for a moment, then falling deathly limp once more.

That was all Kaoru could take.

The younger twin turned to the room's private bathroom to his right. He wrenched the door open and hurtled inside, unable to watch a second longer. In one swoop, he slammed the door shut and locked it violently. His breathing was ragged and sweat beaded at his temples. The sounds from outside were muffled but Kaoru could still hear the despair of the medical workers. " _Shock set to 360 Joules! Clear!"_ The dampened thump of Hikaru's body being jolted tipped Kaoru over the edge. He crashed to his knees in front of the toilet, vomiting what little he had in his stomach.

The involuntary retching did not last long, but Kaoru was left hyperventilating and shaking. He was absolutely having a panic attack. He'd never had one before, but he was pretty sure he was too young to be having a heart attack, and panic was the only other scenario that fit. Despite the realization, Kaoru could do nothing to stop his ascent. The bird in his chest where his heart should have been fluttered erratically, and his lungs turned to fire. The walls were closing in on him. Kaoru's vision began to blur, and the pulsing ocean in his ears dulled the world around him.

He couldn't push the blackness away like he had in the ambulance.

Kaoru thought her heard a knock at the door, but he was well beyond any cognizant train of thought. His sight was rapidly narrowing.

He was out cold before he hit the floor.

* * *

I didn't call it a medical drama for nothing!

Here are some terms explained: Sepsis (systemic, widespread bacterial infection with resultant inflammation), Levophed (norepinephrine-helps to raise blood pressure), Vancomycin (antibiotic), CBC (complete blood count), CMP (complete metabolic panel), ABG's (Arterial blood gases) Lactate (serum marker that helps gauge severity of sepsis) V-Tach (Ventricular tachycardia- a "shockable" heart arrhythmia that causes pulselessness), Fentanyl (pain medication), Lidocaine (blunts cough reflex with intubation)


	3. Chapter 3

Thank you all for the lovely reviews! I am glad some of you like the medical detail! Fair warning that this is totally fiction and definitely not 100% accurate to real life :)

* * *

 **Chapter 3**

"He's waking up,"

"I brought some gauze and a cervical collar,"

The detached voices floating around him sounded as if they were spoken underwater

"What's going on?" He groaned. Even his own voice sounded echoey and distant. His head was throbbing and the bright overhead lights hurt his eyes as he cracked them open. It took a moment for his pupils to adjust, but when the world finally clicked into focus, he was met with a stellar view of the bathroom ceiling.

There were two nurses peering down at him. He recognized one of them -the young nurse he'd spoken with just before retreating. She was hovering close enough that he could read her picture ID tag. Her name was Yuki.

"It looks like you passed out and hit your head, Kaoru. Please try not to move yet." She was pressing down against a particularly tender spot on his forehead. As a reflex, he reached up to push her hands away, but she stopped him with a frown. "You're bleeding pretty badly. Leave it alone,"

Th male nurse to Kaoru's left had begun checking his blood pressure and taking his pulse. "Can you move your arms and legs?" He asked.

"Yes-I'm okay," Kaoru said, becoming increasingly overwhelmed by the attention. He still felt nauseous and oddly claustrophobic. He especially did not appreciate it when the male nurse next tried to put a rigid brace around his neck.

"No really! I'm fine!" Kaoru said, fending off the health care provider's attempts to hold him still.

"I don't think he's got a neck injury Kanta, he's moving pretty well,"

"Yeah, I can see that," Kanta said backing off so the younger twin would stop struggling. "Alright then, Kaoru, do you want to try sitting up?" Kanta asked.

The younger twin was mildly irritated that everyone seemed to know his name. He did, however, follow the male nurse's instructions and tenderly pushed his upper body from the floor with Yuki's help. His head spun a bit with the movement but the vertigo subsided quickly.

"He's going to need stitches for this," Yuki said to her partner, "Let's get him a wheelchair and bring him down to the ED,"

'No!" Kaoru said defiantly, surprising both the nurses. "I can't leave! What about-" He suddenly remembered why he'd passed out in the first place, "What happened to Hikaru!" He said frantically, now successfully batting away Yuki's hands. He could feel a stream of blood leak from the gash above his right brow but that was the least of his concerns. "How long was I out?!"

"Calm down, Kaoru," Yuki said, her gloved hands raised in surrender. "You've only been in here for a little while,"

"Tell me what happened," Kaoru pleaded, "Is Hikaru okay?!"

"Your brother's alright," Yuki said quickly.

Kaoru looked at her in disbelief. "But-but you were shocking him. His heart wasn't beating,"

"His heart never stopped beating, and it's beating fine now, okay? He's stable," Her eyes were genuine. She held out the wad of partially bloodied gauze to Kaoru. "Here,"

He took it hesitantly and brought it to the cut on his forehead. He winced with the pressure. He really had done a number on his face. There were flecks of blood all over his white T-shirt and a small puddle where he'd been laying.

"Come on, you need to take care of yourself too," Yuki said, nodding silently to the other nurse who cleared out in understanding, likely on his way to get that wheelchair she'd talked about.

"I don't want to leave...can't I just have a band-aid for now. I told Hikaru I'd stay with him," He hated himself for ducking into the bathroom so cowardly, and even more for fainting.

The nurse gave him a searching look, considering his pleading eyes. Her gaze kept flicking to his forehead wound. She sighed deeply, settling on his puppy dog eyes in finality. "I can't let you do that, Kaoru. You've probably got a concussion, and I don't see that bleeding stopping on its own."

Kaoru's features fell.

"Listen, I'll escort you down myself so you can jump the line and get back up here as quickly as possible,"

Kaoru didn't like the plan but he really had no choice. He was helped into a chair and wheeled out of the bathroom. Yuki was kind enough to let him catch a glimpse of his brother before he was taken downstairs to the ED.

Hikaru was pale and unmoving. Numerous staff still surrounded his bed, adjusting pump settings, and tubing connections. There were about 3 additional IV bags hanging than Kaoru remembered. Overall, Hikaru looked terrible, but at least the vital sign monitors were peaceful.

"Come on, the sooner we get down there, the sooner we can come back,"

Yuki pushed his chair down the hall and into an elevator not far from Hikaru's room. Kaoru blushed as he was wheeled past a group of visitors in the hall. He felt absolutely ridiculous: riding in a wheelchair, bloody gauze at his temple. He tried to push the embarrassment from his mind as the elevator door closed, leaving just him and Yuki alone in the small space.

"Do you know what's happening to my brother?" Kaoru asked in a small voice, breaking the silence that had built between them. He could hear Yuki take a deep, quiet inhale. She stood behind him so he couldn't see her expression, but he imaged it was pinched.

"Your brother is very sick," She said after a moment. As if that summed it up.

Kaoru fidgeted in the wheelchair, frustrated by her response. "I already know that! The paramedics said the same thing. I just want someone to tell me why he's so sick,"

Kaoru just wanted answers. And for Hikaru to be okay.

"Listen, Kaoru, I don't know the whole story. I'm not Hikaru's primary nurse,"

"But you know more than I do!"

"You got me there," Yuki hummed in agreement, though she didn't sound very happy to go into detail. She sighed before starting. "Dr. Otori has diagnosed your brother with pneumonia, which he probably caught because of the flu."

Karou nodded, biting his lip. That seemed to make sense. It explained the cough and the fever.

"But Dr. Otori is also working him up for something called acute respiratory distress syndrome," Yuki continued as the elevator buttons lit with each passing floor. "We're waiting for some lab results to confirm, but his chest x-ray was very characteristic,"

"What is that?" Kaoru asked.

"Its a complication," Yuki said, seeming to hesitate in her words. Kaoru waited for her to explain herself.

"You see, Hikaru does have a bacterial infection that we're treating with antibiotics, but with ARDS, the lungs become swollen and inflamed. So much so, that they stop working properly. That's likely why your brother was unable to breathe,"

"But the antibiotics will fix that right?"

"It will help the pneumonia, yes," Yuki again sounded hesitant, like she wasn't telling him the whole story.

"How long will it take for Hikaru to get better?" The more pressing question on the tip of Karou's tongue was bitter: _Is Hikaru going to get better_. He dared not ask. He was too afraid of the possible answer.

"I don't know, Kaoru," She said in an apologetic tone just as the elevator door opened to the busy hallway of the emergency department. The conversation ended at that as the bustle of the basement ward buffered the quiet. Kaoru's mind was swirling with new questions and worries, but he refrained from any further interrogation. Yuki seemed relieved that she was no longer on the spot. She worked her magic and signed Kaoru in under the table, wheeling him into a cramped procedure room that didn't even have a door, just a curtain that could be drawn for privacy.

"You must be really close to your brother," Yuki said as they waited for the next available provider.

Kaoru snorted, though he didn't really find anything in the situation funny, "You have no idea,"

"I think it's sweet," She said, giving him a conservative, close-lipped smile. "It's not often you see sibling's get along so well,"

Kaoru caught himself lingering over her deep brown eyes. Kaoru cleared his throat awkwardly, embarrassed to have been staring.

"Well, Hikaru and I have essentially been best friends since we were born. No one could ever tell us apart, so we hardly trusted anyone else to be our friend. Even our parents have a hard time figuring out who is who. Because of that, we learned to depend only on each other." He didn't know why he was admitting that to this nurse he hardly knew. She just seemed like the right person to talk to. "That's why we're so close. We never go anywhere without each other. He's literally my other half,"

"You're lucky to have such a close bond with someone," Yuki said.

"You could say that," Kaoru said. "Some people think Hikaru and I are too close,"

She laughed. "I don't think that's possible,"

"Oh it's possible," Kaoru giggled.

Their conversation was interrupted as the curtain to the procedure room was pulled back sharply to reveal the tall figure of a man dressed in scrubs. His sandy blonde hair was shaved short on the sides and left longer on top. He didn't appear much older than 30.

He gave Kaoru a once-over with his eyes. They appeared friendly enough, but like any rushed medic in the ER, there wasn't much time for small talk. The provider, a physician's assistant, held up the kit he'd brought with him. "I've been summoned to suture?"

"Yes, thank you so much, Nick, I appreciate it!" Yuki said.

Nick had Kaoru lie on the room's exam table before injecting the numbing agent around the laceration on his forehead. Kaoru winced as the needle poked into his skin. It initially felt like fire ant bites, but quickly faded to numbness.

"So what happened? Did you fall off your skateboard or something?" The physician assistant asked casually while setting to work.

"Um, no I um..fainted and hit my head," Kaoru said, a blush rising to his cheeks.

Yuki frowned and helped explain, "His brother is upstairs in the ICU. He was a little overwhelmed,"

"I'm sorry to hear that," The PA had begun suturing the wound closed. Thankfully, the bleeding had finally stopped. "Are your parents with you?"

"They're out of town," Kaoru said, feeling the hot rush of tears well behind his eyes. The feeling of loneliness crashed down on him all over again. Without Hikaru or his parents, it really was just him.

Kaoru cursed Yuki for being so perceptive. She grabbed his shoulder and kneaded it gently realizing Nick had hit a sensitive spot. "Hey, it's alright. When Nick is done, we will try to contact them. We can call them from the ICU."

Karou nodded, trying so hard to keep the tears at bay.

"Are you alright?" Yuki asked.

"I'm fine," Kaoru sniffed. He really wasn't.

The next few minutes were spent in awkward silence as Nick finished his work.

"Well that'll do it, nine stitches and it's not even 7 in the morning," Nick said tying off the last knot and helping Kaoru sit up. The PA frowned sympathetically, and pat Kaoru on the back when he caught a glimpse of his sad expression. "Hey, I'm sure things will turn out for the best, kid,"

Nick performed a short assessment on Kaoru before letting him leave. The PA diagnosed him with a minor concussion and told him to take it easy, get lots of rest, and keep his mind quiet for the next few days. Fat chance of that.

Kaoru thanked the young provider and stood form the exam table. Yuki tried to have him ride the wheelchair back to the ICU, but he refused adamantly until Yuki gave up and let him follow her back to the elevator without it.

Hikaru was right where Kaoru had left him. Limp and unresponsive in that damned hospital bed, tangled with wires and beeping machines. Yuki grabbed a chair and set it next to Hikaru's bed for the younger twin.

"Take a seat, Kaoru, I'll get you some water and we'll call your parents. I'm sure Dr. Otori will be in to see you soon as well,"

Koaru wasn't sure if it was the concussion or emotional strain, but the next several hours were muted. He spoke with his parents, who sounded hysterical from the news, but also unable to immediately part with their business in New York. They would leave as soon as they could but they were a 14-hour plane ride away. He understood to some extent but felt even more abandoned than before.

Dr. Otori was also in to see Kaoru as Yuki had mentioned. He explained Hikaru's condition, more or less in the same way Yuki had, only less gently, and in more to the point, not that Kaoru had followed the entirety of it. The doctor had dropped devastating news that had practically shut Kaoru's brain off halfway through their conversation.

 _"Hikaru went a long time with too little oxygen, and it is possible that he has suffered an anoxic brain injury. He may recover, but he may not. Only time will tell, but as of now, your brother is in a coma."_

It was as if someone had shouted the phrase inside Kaoru's head and the deafening echoes were drowning out all other words. He had been able to see Dr. Otori's lips moving but was unable to make sense of the words.

 _Your brother is in a coma_

 _Your brother is in a coma_

 _Your brother is in a coma_

He barely even remembered the doctor leaving. He was just suddenly alone with Hikaru.

Nurses would come to check on Hikaru or change out the IV bags. They would take a few minutes to talk to Kaoru in an attempt to break him from the unmoving statue he had become, but nothing made a difference. Even Yuki couldn't do much to get a response out of the teen. All Kaoru could do was stare at his twin.

 _"My other half,"_ Kaoru thought. It was odd seeing his mirror image look so deathly. _"If my other half dies, does that mean I die too?"_ It sure felt like he would.

He hated that he was even considering losing his brother but he knew now what the paramedics and Yuki had tried to tell him before. Hikaru was _very_ sick.

Kaoru sighed, shifting his shoulders for what must have been the first time in hours. His ass hurt, he had a headache, and his muscles were starting to ache from the fall. It was almost half past two in the afternoon. It had been over 8 hours since they'd come to the hospital. He didn't feel hungry in the slightest, but having not eaten anything left him feeling hollow and queasy. The nursing staff had offered him food but he knew he wouldn't be able to stomach it.

To Kaoru's surprise, he heard a gentle buzz from the crumpled sweatshirt he'd placed on the floor, _"My phone."_ He thought. The house staff must have stuffed it into the pocket before giving it to him.

Kaoru pulled the device from the sweater to check the ID. It was a text from Haruhi.

 _Where are you two today?_ Was all it said. School had just let out, and now would be time to meet for the host club, Kaoru realized. Haruhi and the others were likely in music room 3 wondering where the two troublemakers were.

Kaoru felt a ball forming in his throat. He didn't know why the thought of his friends was making him emotional. He looked around the quiet hospital room, empty aside from him and his brother.

He was stressed, anxious, fearful, and worried. The emotions literally hurt his insides. Each emotion stabbed at his heart in a different way, but the crushing loneliness seemed to bite the worst. He looked back to the simple text and felt his chin quiver.

He hosted an internal debate, unsure if he should disclose the information to the host club. Though he longed for their support, he dreaded their reaction. He didn't know if he could handle seeing their worry as well, and he certainly didn't want their pity. He'd had enough of that for one day. He sighed and typed his sentence out slowly.

 _We're at the hospital._ He moved to return the phone to his pocket but it buzzed before he had the chance to tuck it away.

 _Is everything okay?_

Kaoru read the text thoughtfully. He looked at Hikaru's face. The older twin appeared peaceful, but the tubes snaking from his mouth and arms kept Kaoru from feeling reassured. The sound of the machines keeping Hikaru alive became suddenly very loud in his ears. The ventilator hummed, the numerous IV pumps dripped, the vital sign monitor beeped.

 _In a coma._

The damn words just wouldn't stop echoing.

 _Not really._ He typed.

Kaoru felt the phone buzz again in instant reply but he put it aside anyway. The acknowledgment that, hell no, everything was not okay, ripped open his flood gaits. He grasped his brother's limp hand clumsily. It wasn't blue any longer, but the movement did nothing to wake the older twin. " _He may never wake again_." Kaoru thought in despair.

He finally began to cry, bowing his head into the blankets.

He had let a few tears escape here and there throughout the ordeal but this was the first time he'd truly let himself bawl. His shoulders shook with silent sobs. It took near all his effort to keep the crying to a discrete volume. In reality, he wanted to scream, but he'd already given the nursing staff enough worry with his minor concussion, he didn't need to take up more of their time.

He cried like this for what felt like forever, face blotchy and nose clogged. He couldn't stop, even when the nursing staff came to check on his brother. They comforted him to their best ability but there was no end to his tears. He cried until his head throbbed and his eyes ached. He cried so hard that passers by began staring in at him, concern on their faces.

He eventually cried himself to exhaustion, head drooping onto Hikaru's shoulder, hand entwined with his. The tears finally stemmed when he fell into a fitful sleep.

* * *

P.s. I don't kill characters so do not fret! Also, apologies for any grammar/spelling issues I missed.


End file.
